Bitcoin prices have been falling steadily for the last 13 months, with many expecting the market to fall further before it shows any sign of recovery.

The latest worrying bitcoin price technical analysis follows a warning from the chief executive of blockchain company Civic that crypto winter, which the long-running bitcoin bear market has been branded, could go "nuclear" if the bitcoin price falls much further.

The bitcoin price has been holding steady at a little over $3,400 so far in February, after dipping under $3,500 in late January, according to CoinDesk's price tracker.

Bitcoin's epic 2017 bull run, which saw the bitcoin price climb from under $1,000 to almost $20,000 in less than 12 months, was largely put down to expectations institutional investment and big bank support for bitcoin would soon arrive. As 2018 dragged on and that investment failed to appear many investors and traders got cold feet, bailing out of their bitcoin and cryptocurrency positions.

The crypto winter has caused many bitcoin, cryptocurrency and blockchain startups to slash jobs or shut down already and a further turn for the worse could spell disaster for the burgeoning bitcoin sector.

The bitcoin price moved sharply lower late last year and could now be poised to drop further.

CoinDesk

The latest data piles the pressure on bitcoin and cryptocurrency traders after numbers last month showed bitcoin had entered a new selling trend for the first time since mid-November.